Pages

18 August 2015

Cornwall Transit 017

Welcome to Cornwall Transit 017

I am making a slight change in the order I present things here starting this week. The last two weeks: is the last two weeks activity as reported on VOSA. The next two weeks looks ahead to changes that are due to happen which will have already been reported in previous editions. After a fairly quiet period in Cornwall this week sees a large number of changes announced for the end of September for many First Kernow routes. Cornwall and Devon Transit Index

Operating between Plymouth, Royal Parade and Launceston, Westgate Street

given service number 12

effective from 30-Aug-2015.

To amend Timetable.

Clock face departure at 0925. Extra time in afternoon school bus at Callington. No longer serve Marhamchurch. Some buses diverted in Saltash for school or college. Additional bus from the north to serve Callington School and Saltash College.

First Kernow Fleet News

The First Kernow fleet is going to be totally transformed over the coming months with a large number of group transfers along with a large number of DDA complaint buses from the Devon fleet. As these enter service in the new Olympia livery the fleet will loose its current multi livery look where almost anything goes. It will also see off all the old step entrance Olympians along with the other non DDA buses. If you want to catch the old First fleet then now is the time to do it. Things will look very different next Summer! It is also said that FK want to increase their coach work. One new coach to the fleet in the new Olympia livery complete with First Glasgow names is 20502 AO02RBZ which is working out of Camborne. Other buses mentioned as Kernow bound are 10 Volvo B7TLs from Manchester, and 8 from West Yorkshire. Also mentioned recently are 20 ex Jersey narrow Dennis Darts which will prove ideal for Cornwall. At the moment these are split between First Potteries and First Essex.
It seems that the repaint program is being stepped up now with the use of external contractors to help speed things up. Latest reported repaints include 53803 Solo (https://flic.kr/p/vPpDg6), 53827 (https://flic.kr/p/xm5JUC) currently in Plymouth, 65763 65764 Scania (all of these ex Reading now done)
Optare Solo 53803 is now in Olympia livery , initially at least without fleetnames. . Scania 65764 is also reported.
Mercedes Citaro bendy buses 11036-11038 at the Eden Project have been given the original Eden registrations AN02EDN BN02EDN CN02EDN.
Finally we report that First Devon & Cornwall Ltd is no more. For quite a while now the registered name has not been a great fit for an operation that covers Cornwall Devon AND Somerset. With the sale of the Devon operation its clearly even less appropriate. Well now its the much more sensible First South West Ltd with the registered office as Union Street Camborne.

In The News

Trouble at St Ives

An increase in the number and size of buses coming through the town has led to complaints about congestion at Royal Square.
Traffic is regularly backed up in the area with several operators running services from Trenwith Car Park into Royal Square every 10 minutes.
In an attempt to halt further congestion over the summer period Cornwall Council has applied to the Traffic Commissioner for a condition to reduce the number of buses an operator can run into Royal Square to just two.
The new condition, which could come into force later this month if there are no objections, would also limit the time a bus could wait at the stop and ban bus drivers from reversing into the square.
With up to 17 buses coming into the square an hour, he said the authority had to step in to control the situation. "It is absolutely chaotic. Some buses are too big for the square. I arrived there one day, it was like downtown Mumbai. It was like stepping into another country where there is no traffic regulations."
Read more: http://www.cornishman.co.uk/New-restriction-brought-solve-chaotic-bus-problem/story-26811691-detail/story.html#ixzz3izaa0HeZ
Follow us: @CornishmanPaper on Twitter | Cornishmanpaper on Facebook

Awards for First Kernow

First Kernow has been named FirstGroup's best team in the South of England and Wales at a recent company awards ceremony.
Staff at First Kernow took the Best Team Award at the inaugural First UK Bus Excellence Awards, beating off stiff competition from teams based as far afield as Portsmouth in Hampshire and Kings Lynn in Norfolk.
Their winning citation highlighted their immediate and united response when in March Western Greyhound, Cornwall's second largest bus operator, ceased trading.
On that day, the First Kernow team ran emergency bus replacement services, recruited drivers made jobless by Western Greyhound's closure and worked with stakeholder partner, Cornwall Council, to plan and produce a full network replacement for services throughout Mid-Cornwall.
The team then worked tirelessly throughout the weekend, gathering up the fleet of buses, compiling duties and rosters, training the newly recruited staff and preparing for the replacement services which were starting the following Monday.
As a result of their unstinting work, service disruption to the travel patterns on the Monday were minimal and feedback from customers and stakeholders was both positive and enthusiastic. The security and sustainability of the routes, and the staff, are also now guaranteed for at least the next 12 months.
"The evident team commitment and spirit towards this achievement has been immense. All credit to the First Kernow team," the citation said
Mel Williams, business manager of First Kernow, said: "This is the most unexpected honour for us. At the time, we were faced with a situation that we had to address swiftly and directly if bus services in Cornwall were to continue operating regularly.
"Everyone on the team without exception played their part and we are extremely proud to be recognised by our peers in such a wonderful way."
For his contribution to the transformation of the First Kernow business, Alex Carter, First South West's managing director was highly commended in the Leader of the Year Award while Arron Kelly, Truro Park & Ride's Manager was highly commended in the Young Manager of the Year category. First Kernow engineer Stuart Ladner was also shortlisted for the Engineer of the Year Award.
Mr Carter said: "Our achievements this year are a ringing endorsement of the tremendous team spirit which now exists within the business. I am immensely proud of and grateful to all the team for the enormous lengths they have gone to in making our business strong and secure.
"Our main objective is to provide an efficient and reliable bus service for our customers in Cornwall and these awards demonstrate that we on the right path towards achieving this."

6 comments:

I've been travelling around Cornwall a bit really, and noticed a operator not often mentioned on your blog. I've seen them all over but noticed only a couple of low floor buses, just wondered if you have any future fleet news for them?

One person has turned First Group around,Giles Fearnley he is a very shrewd Bus Man, he has also taken on two Experienced Bus men Alex Carter and James Freeman(South West) I do believe Plymouth will be upgraded by Stagecoach very Shortly and Cornwall will Benefit from The DDA compliant vehicles from First Devon and the Planned Cascades from Across First Group,lets hope that all the Cascades to Cornwall all get delivered re painted in Olympia Livery and Tidy interiors look's good for the South West.

James runs the Somerset and Avon business which is based in Bristol. Alex runs the First South West Ltd buisness (renamed recently from First Cevon and Cornwall Ltd) which includes First Kernow, First Devon (for a fortnight until Stagecoach take over) and Buses of Somerset. The new registered address of First South West Ltd is Union Street, Camborne. If you mean where is his desk and chair, I suspect you'll find that the small number of senior bods in South West 'hot desk' in Taunton, Camborne, and maybe will in Summercourt too. I don't believe that the senior two are into offices!